1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computer graphical user interfaces (GUIs) and, more specifically, to a system for generating a graphical user interface for computer desktops, text editors, web browsers, and the like, that organizes graphical, textual, pull-down menus, desktop and webtop elements as a spacial cluster having an appearance and which may be organized and condensed in size according to user-specified or system-generated criteria.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Graphical user interfaces for computer systems such as the Microsoft""s Windows 95/98(copyright) desktop typically comprise a plurality of icons or graphical elements configured for presentation on a user display terminal. Each of these icons are of a predetermined size, and selectable, for instance, by a mouse click, and represents a shortcut or agent for activating the selected program, for example, a database, text editor, an operating system utility, web browser program, etc. Additionally, a screen display accommodates pop-ups of windows, text, tool bars, and other information, with no regard as to the space limitations of the GUI.
The limitation of display space on a typical user screen presents a problem given the ever increasing amount of programs that are available for all kinds of computer users. Although windows themselves are collapsible to a small icon-size tab, they still take up space on the display screen.
It would be highly desirable to provide a graphically user interface and system for generating GUI displays that provides a means for visually and spatially consolidating and organizing related functions, data, text, programs and other information represented by graphical elements, as clusters having a fractal appearance, in a manner so as to conserve computer screen desktop space.
It would further be highly desirable to provide a graphically user interface and system for generating GUT displays that automatically organizes, nests, and clusters icons, windows, web links, and text according to user-specified criteria, and in a manner so that relatedness of information represented by items in the cluster may be easily understood.
Moreover, as computer and computing devices having pen inputs for writing on touch-sensitive screens are becoming increasingly common, like the CrossPad manufactured by A.T. Cross Company, it would be desirable to provide a system that may be used for organizing and annotating documents on pen-based computers.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a graphical user interface (GUI) and system for generating a computer GUI that automatically organizes, nests, and clusters related desktop elements, such as windows, textual and graphical elements (such as icons), for display according to a fractal appearance, so that computer desktop display space may be conserved.
It is another object of the invention to provide a web browser GUI implementing a system for automatically organizing and displaying related webtop display elements, e.g., text, web-page links, in clusters, for display according to a fractal appearance so that web browser""s display space may be conserved.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a GUI for a text editor and other types of editors that displays textual information according to a fractal appearance so that portions of the editor""s display area may be magnified in order to browse, organize and annotate clusters of text and diagrams displayed at different size scales.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide an improved system and method for organizing, displaying, managing, and selecting icons, text, images, graphics, and/or windows on a computer graphical interface, wherein the management, organization, and display is automatically performed according to user-defined criteria.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a system and method for automatically controlling the spatial distribution of clusters of items displayed on a computer display GUI, which spatial distribution is utilized to suggest relatedness of information represented by items within a cluster.
The use of fractal icons, windows and web links provide a means for visually and spatially consolidating and organizing related functions, data, text, programs and other information represented by graphical elements. With fractal icons, windows, web links, and text, the user never runs out of space on a computer-screen desktop, web browser window, or document (text) editor window.
Thus, according to the principle of the invention, there is provided an information presentation system comprising: a computer system including display terminal for providing graphical user interface (GUI); a means for generating a cluster of items comprising graphical or textual elements for display via said GUI, each item in a cluster representing information having a degree of relatedness with information represented by other items in said cluster; and a means for controlling the spatial extent of and arrangement of items within a cluster according to a specified criteria, which spatial extent and arrangement is controlled to provide optimal display and conserve screen display space on said display terminal. Preferably, the cluster of items is arranged according to a fractal appearance. Besides controlling the spatial extent of a fractal cluster, the nesting of items within and/or arrangement of items within the cluster may be controlled to suggest relations of items on the display terminal.
A primary advantage of the inventive system for presenting fractal item arrangements over the prior art is that the user never runs out of desktop space. Smaller and smaller items may be generated as needed and may remain in the vicinity of other related items. Thus, the system automatically changes the spatial extent of, nesting within, and/or arrangement of items within the cluster, in order to permit efficient use of available display space and/or enhanced viewability. A second advantage is that the user may quickly cluster items in space and understand relationships between items in a cluster. A third advantage is that a single parameter may be used to control and characterize the spatial arrangement of items such as: icons, windows, web links and text.
Advantageously, the system may be implemented to form annotations in a kind of xe2x80x9cmultiresolutionxe2x80x9d document comprised as part of novel portable or pervasive computers with pen, stylus, touch, speech, or keyboard inputs. In these systems multiresolution annotation may be performed with pen, stylus, touch, speech, or keyboard inputs.
Further features, aspects and advantages of the apparatus and methods of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:
FIG. 1(a) depicts the novel computer desktop and information presentation system comprising a cluster of icons and sub-icons having a fractal appearance.
FIG. 1(b) depicts the novel computer web-top presentation system comprising a cluster of web-page links of various sizes having a fractal appearance.
FIG. 2 is a three dimensional depiction of a fractal icon cluster.
FIG. 3(a) is an interface screen display window enabling user entry of spatial dimension parameters and size adjustment criteria.
FIG. 3(b) is an interface screen display window enabling user query of factual cluster characteristics.
FIG. 4(a) is an illustrative flow chart depicting the method for adding an icon to a fractal cluster of the GUI of the invention.
FIG. 4(b) is an illustrative flow chart depicting the method for automatically determining the characteristics of a fractal cluster.
FIG. 4(c) is an illustrative flow diagram depicting the use of association strengths in determining organization and clustering of items.
FIG. 4(d) is a flow chart depicting the method for navigating through a fractal cluster.
FIG. 4(e) is a flow chart depicting the password protection mechanism implemented in the system of the invention.
FIG. 5 illustrates a xe2x80x9cfractal textxe2x80x9d arrangement comprising a set of one or more pieces of text at different sizes on a text editor screen display.
FIG. 6 illustrates a display of a portable hand-held computer device enabling multiresolution annotations of text by a pen input device.